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Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) Executive Director ~ Brand Management Mrs Kutlo Moagi has urged Batswana , especially the young people to take advantage of value chain business opportunities that are presented by local citrus production.
Speaking at a citrus farms media tour held in partnership with SPEDU and the Ministry of Agriculture in the Tuli Block area over the weekend, Moagi said Batswanaβs citrus production industry has grown over the years.
The media tour was undertaken as a build up to the much anticipated first harvest of the Selebi Phikwe Citrus that will be officiated by President Masisi on 21st of March, to showcase the existing citrus production in Botswana as the country builds capacity for export market and various value chain opportunities.
βCitrus can produce juice , various food products, cleaning detergents, cosmetic products amongst others, the farming itself requires implements, equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, all of these are opportunities for Batswana to venture into and create value for the country,β Moagi said.
The tour entailed visiting Africa Ranch 5 (AR5) in Sherwood and Kwadiwa Ranch Citrus Farm in Tuli Block.
At Kwadiwa Citrus , first trees were planted in 2019, being the Bennies Valencia variety which was the first Bennies planted in Botswana.
In 2020 the Gusa Kora Valencia variety was planted , which was also the first of its kind to be planted in Botswana
These constitute about 40 hectares : 19 000 trees planted with first harvest expected end of May / beginning of June.
Development is ongoing to plant about 10 000 trees of Turkeyvariety on about 20 hectares.
The Kwadiwa Citrus currently has 17 permanent employees which increases during peak seasons of planting and harvesting.
The farm will supply both the local and export market and will send some of its produce to the Selebi Phikwe Pack House ( SPP) located in the Selebi Phikwe Citrus farm for export.
The AR 5 farm which started planting citrus in 1997 currently has 120 hectares of Citrus production ,close to 50 000 trees .
In total the Tuli Block area has about 7 citrus farmers planting a total of 167 000 trees.